Philadelphia otherwise

Two Fridays ago I got myself onto a plane at BUR to head to SFO,

then from there onto a red-eye to PHL. 

Conference time for me, and an unusually condensed one this time.  I had originally planned to be there on the Wednesday, but life interfered, and so it was that I made it there for Saturday morning.  Checked into my suite,

got myself freshened up and pretty, and headed to my first meeting.

My time at conference was a lot about meetings, really.  Oh, I made sure to go to the closing session featuring Geena Davis (who was a wonderful storyteller)

(oh, and Gritty was there),

and I absolutely couldn't miss dragging Conrad and Van

to Sam's inauguration as president of the association (the improv musical theater was fun to watch),

but I didn't go to any other programs or presentations and only briefly made it to two official receptions.  And now that part of my life is done.  I have cycled out of my three-year obligation, I know longer have the inside scoop or participate in governance.  For the first time in over twenty years, I am not on a committee.  And man, am I glad of that.  The 150th anniversary of ALA will be celebrated in Chicago next year, and I'll almost certainly go to that conference, but after that?  We'll see.

Oh, there were morning walks to be enjoyed as well, both alone

and with others (thank you Amy and Steven for joining me - who will lead the walks for the Board now that I am gone?)

(and it's hard to tell, but that's the Liberty Bell in there!).

The real reason to go?  To see all of the friends from my years of involvement.  Like I did this time!  So let me rattle off some names and post photos.  I didn't get shots with everyone I enjoyed seeing, alas.

My buddy Sara (and hey there, Sam and Ed!). 

For three years we have been messaging and calling weekly and more.  Now that we are done our duty, let's keep in touch a whole bunch but make it about fun stuff!

Matt was there at Council, sitting right behind me. 

I had lunch with him and his wife, Kim, the next day,

and I hope I can convince them to come on a tour of Vietnam next year.

Lunch with my guybrarian message group:  Peter (with his husband, Matt, along with us), Matt, and Andy. 

Long may our messages fly back and forth, and may we have another conference meet up again.

Coffee with Denelle and Anne from the Ireland tour group last year. 

Denelle is already signed up for Vietnam, and I am excited that she will be going.  Anne just landed a new position as director of the fledgling LIS program at Marshall University, and I wish her great success with that.

Jose and April wandered past

while we were having coffee (and then Van saw them the next day, and they recommended a cheese steak place to him that he enjoyed).  I didn't get a chance to have a meal with them this time, so the next - I hope!

Evening drinks in the hotel lobby had a usual crew of folks, including Christina,

who has done so much great work in the association already.  It's always a delight seeing her.  She looks stunning in blue.

My last Board meeting, and I'll miss folks like Peter

and Nick,

among others.  Good folks.

A lot of friendly faces at the inaugural dinner, too....  

John! 

I've known him so many years, and I missed getting a meal with him.  I know he likes Vedge, and it would have been perfect for us to meet up there.  

My "little sister", Kathy. 

The Board brought us together.  May we keep that going!  I would love to visit her in SC one day.

And Larry. 

Ah, Larry, I've left you with a lot to take over and deal with, and I have so much confidence in your ability.  The buck has been passed (well, five of them in this shot, and hey there, Dina - thank you for our terrific working partnership these past few years).

Finally, Sam. 

Congratulations to our 2025-2026 ALA President.  A real pleasure and privilege to have worked with you.  May you steer our association successfully into its sesquicentennial.  Cheers!  And thank you to Skip for the Champagne!

That was the Philadelphia that was.  The people make the conference.  So seldom for me does the city make the conference, but the city can make a conference worse.  Looking at you, San Francisco (sorry, but I HATED it when we were there in 2015 - I don't hate it as a city to otherwise visit).  I didn't really see or experience Philadelphia, I know.  And maybe I'll be back.  We shall see, we can hope!

I will miss these people

Last week I finished my last trip to Chicago to fulfill obligations to ALA.  I still have a little under two months to go, concluding my work at the end of the annual conference in Philadelphia next month.  And I have to say, it's been a turbulent three years of work with ALA.  I still believe in the association and what it can and should do, but I will be happy to walk away from the work and eventually become nothing more than a regular paid member.  And I will never return to the divisions.  Seriously?  Fuck them.  Maybe one day I will edit that last bit.

But I will miss these people.  Oh, I know that I will see them at conferences and outside of ALA.  For sure I will.  But gone will be the morning walks.  The meals.  The evening drinks.  We've built up real bonds, friendships.

My cohort:  Sara,

Kathy,

Amy,

Karen,

as well as Emily.  Plus there's Sam. 

And Peter. 

And the others, like Steven

and Sophia and Stephanie and Corinthia and Nick and Cindy and am I forgetting anyone?  But my cohort are the most special to me, I admit, and I will miss them most.

Thanks to all of them for riding out these past years with me.  We all needed each other.

Chuck and Sam

A brief post (well, not many photos) from a meal last night. Conrad is not yet back from the Bay Area, though he will be home in time for the parties tonight. Meanwhile, I have much work to do around the house after I get home from swim practice. Given all that, just a brief post on dinner with Chuck and Sam.

Chuck is an absolute sweetheart of a man, a southern gentleman, a lawyer newly admitted to the bar, a Smelt, and really very handsome. I've not known Sam as well since they've been together a little under a year, but he's very charming and quite easy to have conversation with, and no less handsome. It was good to catch up with them last night. They made the dinner great.

We ate at Uncommon Ground, a place I've known mostly for (kind of pricey) breakfast/brunches. The dinner menu surprised me in that it had some really interesting choices and some very good prices. We shared a bottle of a Lebanese red wine - nicely drinkable - and ate not badly. I say that because I think Sam (shortribs) and Chuck (duo of duck - I should have gone with that) seemed to have better meals than mine. I had the cassoulet, and while the pork belly was fine, the beans were undercooked a bit and the duck sausage was a little too sweet somehow. In fact, the whole dish had an odd sweetness I couldn't put my finger on. Most of all, though, it didn't come across as something that had baked for a long time together. it had the taste of a dish of undercooked navy beans and sausage served with pork belly on top. I have no clear photo of it, but it wasn't memorable for good reasons anyway. I was okay eating it, but I secretly wished I'd ordered either of their meals instead.

Photos:

Sam tries scooting out the way after I tell him to stay still.

Chuck and duck.

The duck duo.